Vending machine



May 28, 1940.

A. P. MCKELVY VENDING MACHINE Fiied Feb. 14, 19:58 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented May 28, 1940 VENDENG MACHINE Addison P. McKelvy, Kansas City, Mo., assigner to Alfred D. McKelvy, New York, N. Y.

Application February 14, 1938, Serial No. 190,454

7 Claims.

This invention relates to vending machines and' contemplates such a structure that is adapted to vend articles one at a time from receptacles wherein is packed a large number of said articles, and one of the primary objects of the invention is the contemplation of unique structure for transferring the vendible articles from the receptacle to the discharge opening of the machine in such manner that the delivery is rendered efcient and relatively free from objectionable circumstances such as clogging and the like.

One of the important aims of this invention is to provide a vending machine for cigarettes, said 1.5; machine having unique parts for removing the cigarettes from the original package bearing the internal revenue stamp and delivering the cigarettes singly from the machine.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a vending machine for dispensing cigarettes from the original package or packages one at a time, said machine including a novel. hopper and agitator construction which is preferably disposed intermediate two of the original V packages of cigarettes for the purpose of receiving cigarettes therefrom and delivering the same singly to a point where an operator of the machine will receive the same.

Some of the most important objects of the invention relate to the specific structural features and their combinations and will be made clear during the course of the specification, referring tothe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a vending machine embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a Vertical, longitudinal section through the vending machine, taken on line III-III of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, horizontal section through the machine, taken on line IV-'IV of Fig. 3, with the ejecting plate shown in dotted lines in the opposite extreme position, and,

Fig. 5 is a detailed, perspective view of one of the agitator plates, showing the same entirely removed from the machine.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 4.

In practice it is customary to pack cigarettes 50` in relatively flat receptacles, within which has been placed a lining or apron, In the trade these packages are known as Flat Fifties or some such similar term and the cigarettes are arranged in two, double-layer rows with the ends vof the cigarettes in one of said rows abutting (Cl. E12-80) the ends of the cigarettes in the other row. Longitudinal displacement of the cigarettes does not occur to any great extent and the hereinafter described mechanism is designed to alternately feed cigarettes from the aforesaid two rows thereof; that is to say, a cigarette emanating from` one of the rows is discharged, then a cigarette from the other row, and so on.

These receptacles are tinue.

The vending machine contemplated by this invention includes parts for accommodating two boxes of cigarettes, each having fty units therein, said boxes being disposed on the same horizontal plane and in spaced-apart relation with a hopper and e'jecting structure therebetween and below so that one hundred cigarettes might be passed through the machine before reloading becomes necessary. In practice, the vending inachine might incorporate novel coin mechanism and must, of necessity, include a case having suitable openings through which may be viewed the cigarettes being vended.

Parts embodying this invention are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and like reference characters are used'to designate similar elements of the structure.

A base carries two spacedapart sides I0, be-

tween which are supported frames I2 that carry receptacles lli and, as shown in Fig. 3, these frames `should be created in such a manner that receptacle. I4 is engaged in a way to preclude displacement in any direction.

Each receptacle I4 carries a number of cigarettes I6 and, as is the practice, these cigarettes IG are packed in two rows with the cigarettes arranged in end-to-end relation. Thus receptacle i4 is twice the length of one cigarette I6 and so hopper i3, interposed between frames I2, must likewise be of a length sufcient to receive two cigarettes I6 in end-to-end relation. In this instance, however, hopper I is appreciably longerso that in the event cigarettes being fed from each side should overlap, there will be no clogging and complete freedom of passage is presented. f

Apron 20 is utilized to feed cigarettes I6 from receptacle Iii into hopper I8 and the means for so feeding the cigarettes includes a transverse shaft 22 journalled in sides ID and geared to operating lever 24 through gear 26, pinion 28, gears 30 and 32 and thence across to intermeshing gears 34 by way of shaft 36 and pinion 38. Grasping handle 4I) and pulling operating lever 2li against the action of spring e2 will cause gears 34 to rotate through a fraction of a turn, thereby turning shafts Z2 which grip one end of apron 2E). Apron 2 may be releasably affixed to shaft 22 by a grip bar il@ which is within longitudinal groove 4S formed in shaft 22 and which is pivotally aiiixed for swinging movement to and from said position as at d3. Heads 50 are in screwthreaded engagement with one end of shaft 22 to frictionally grip the respective gear 34 and when it is desired to unwind apron 2B from shaft 22 during the step of replacing receptacle I4, it is but necessary to loosen head 5i), grasp the free end of apron and pull the same free from its engagement about shaft 22.

During the operation of the machine, and while one end is in engagement with shaft 22, the other end of apron 2d is held against movement by clamp which is disposed above and in spaced relation to shaft 22 so that a straight line joining the two (shaft 22 and clamp 52) will be on an incline tending to roll the cigarettes into hopper IS over the edge of the side of receptacle iQ- and through its open top, as shown in Fig. 3.

It is the intention of this invention to releasably secure apon Eil at clamp 52, and to do this, there is provided a yieldable, resilient member Eli pivotally affixed to rigid` member of clamp 52 as at 55 and held in clamping engagement by catch 58 which is nothing more than the ordinary pin and notch construction 63 and S2 respectively. Resilient member 5t is slightly arcuate when it islnot engaged by the catch, and since shaft 22 eXerts a pull through apron 20 upon member 5d in the proper direction to disengage the catch 53, it is obvious that as the machine is operated and as aprendo is wound upon shaft 22, the apron will be drawn free from the clamp when all of the cigarettes have been discharged from one of receptacles It. Thus the machine is not locked against movement when the same has been emp-tied.

A unique hopper i8 is supported by sides iii and a platform 54, and is formed to present two overlapping, offset, interconnected compartments 65, as shown in Fig. 4, each of which is appreciably longer than cigarette It. Hopper I3 has a flared portion at the upper part thereof to form a mouth into which are fed cigarettes i6 from each side. Obviously, as the cigarettes become offset or out of alignment in a longitudinal direction they will pass down through hopper I8 without trouble.

To further insure positive feeding, there is provided an especially formed agitator in the nature of a rebent plate 68. The bight of this plate rests upon the edge of hopper I8 and wall 'Nl of plate 68 projects into hopper I8 at the mouth,

while wall 'I2 extends belowT the flared upper portion of hopper I8.

A series of openings 'l is formed through the wall of hopper i8 and wall 'ill of plate 5B is provided with a number of arcuate ngers l', one

in Fig. 3, the entire` bulk of cigarettes being fed will be affected by a movement of a portion thereof at the mouth of opening I8. As shown in Fig. l, there are two plates 68 positioned to act upon the two columns of cigarettes formed in hopper I8.

In ejecting cigarettes I6 from hopper I8 singly or one at a time, reciprocating plate 'I8 cornes into play. This plate 'I8 has a pair of overlapping, spaced-apart slots 89 formed therethrough which underlie hopper I8 and one of which is always in register to receive a cigarette therefrom. As one slot 80 is receiving a cigarette I6 from hopper I8, the other slot 8E! is in register with one of the discharge openings 82 formed through platform 66 so that a cigarette I6 will be fed on to apron 8d where it is available to the operator. It will be noted that the openings 82 in the platform are disposed in offset relation in order that they will respectively register with the openings in the ejecting plate. Plate i8 is rectilinearly reciprocable by movement of lever 24 and each movement is imparted to plate 78 through eccentric shaft 86, upon one end of which is mounted pinion 28 and gear 3d. The eccentric, offset portion 88 of shaft 86 should be centrally disposed and a link 90 connects portion 83 with plate i8, as shown in Fig. 3. Manifestly, when lever 24 is operated, the parts previously described will be actuated to feed cigarettes into hopper I 8 and simultaneously plate i8 will be moved in one direction.

Guide slot 92 formed in member 9d insures the proper amount of movement by engagement with lever 2li and spring 42 retrieves lever 2li when it is released. Obviously, a ratchet and dog construction se, of well known type, must be used to permit lever 2li to return Without affecting the other parts of the mechanism. To simultaneously operate agitator plate 6B, there is provided similar standards 98 which engage wall I2 of each plate 68 alternately when plate I8 is reciprocated. Standards 98 are carried by plate i8 and their upper ends strike wall 'I2 to lift walls 'I3 that are projected into hopper I8. The acti-on of gravity and the weight of cigarettes resting upon wall 7i) will cause plate 58 to return to a normal position where wall 'ifi lies directly upon the flared portion of hopper I8.

The operation of this machine and the relation of parts forming the same is clear in the foregoing specication, and while the preferred form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is desired to be limited in the enjoyment of the invention only by the spirit thereof and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine of the character described, a hopper having a flared top portion forming its mouth, said ared portion having openings formed through the wall thereof; means to feed vendible units into said hopper through the mouth; means at the bottom of said hopper for singly ejecting the units therefrom; an agitato-r at the mouth of said hopper comprising a rebent plate, V-shaped in cross section, hanging upon the upper edge of the hopper along its bight, one wall of said agitator projecting into the flared portion of the hopper and having fingers thereon projecting through said openings and toward the other Wall whereby to bridge the space therebetween; and means carried by said ejecting means and adapted to be moved to sov engage the other wall of said agitator to move the same around its line of bearing.

2. In a vending machine of the character described, a hopper having a ared top portion forming its mouth and having openings formed through the iiared portion thereof; movable means to feed vendible units into said hopper through the mouth; means at the bottom of said hopper for singly ejecting the units from the hopper; an agitator at the mouth of said hopper; and means associated with said ejector means and operable thereby for actuating the agitator, said agitator comprising a rebent plate hung upon the upper edge of said hopper with the bight in engagement with the hopper edge, one wall of said plate projecting into the mouth of the hopper and having fingers projecting toward the other wall and through the openings formed in the hopper wall.

3. In a vending machine of the character described, a hopper having a iiared top portion forming its mouth and having openings formed through the flared portion thereof intermediate its edges; movable means to feed vendible units into said hopper through the mouth; means at the bottom of said hopper for singly ejecting the units from the hopper; an agitator at the mouth of said hopper; and means for actuating the agitator, said agitator comprising a rebent plate hung upon the upper edge of said hopper withthe bight in engagement with the hopper edge, one wall of said plate projecting into the mouth of the hopper and having fingers projecting toward the other wall and through the openings formed in the hopper wall, said means for actuating the agitator including a standard carried by the movable ejecting means, one wall of said rebent plate projecting into the path of travel of said standard.

4. Alvending machine of the kind specified comprising a pair of vendible commodity receptacles disposed in spaced apart relation wherein the vendible commodities are arranged in rows at each end thereof; a hopper interposed between said receptacles; means for feeding the commodity from the receptacles into said hopper; a platform below said hopper having offset discharge openings formed therethrough; and a reciprocating ejecting plate positioned below said hopper and above said platform, having a pair of olset, overlapped slots formed therein to receive vendible commodity units from opposite ends of the hopper and to register with said discharge openings in the platform as the plate is reciprocated, whereby a unit emanating from first one row and then from the other is ejected from the vending machine.

5. A vending machine of the kind specied comprising a pair of vendible commodity receptacles disposed in spaced-apart relation; a hopper interposed between said receptacles; means for feeding the commodity from the receptacles into said hopper; and a reciprocating ejecting plate below said hopper, said hopper formed to the vendible commodity therefrom, and a platform positioned below said ejecting plate and having openings formed therethrough to receive and discharge said units.

6. A cigarette vending machine adapted to singly eject cigarettes from the original package wherein the cigarettes are arranged in two rows having the cigarettes in each row positioned in side-by-side relation and the ends of the cigarettes in one row abutting the ends of the cigarettes in the other row, comprising a hopper formed with two transversely offset compartments to receive cigarettes from both rows simultaneously and to maintain the cigarettes emanating from one row segregated from those emanating from the other row; and an ejecting assembly positioned below said hopper and lincluding a movable plate having formed therein transversely odset openings adapted to simultaneously register with said hopper compartments and including a stationary platform positioned below said movable plate and having transversely offset openings thereinfto register with said movable plate openings whereby to alternately receive and discharge from said hopper, cigarettes emanating from first one row of the original package, then the other.

7. A cigarette. vending machine adapted to singly eject cigarettes from the original package wherein the cigarettes are arranged in two rows having the cigarettes of each row positioned in side-by-side relation and the ends of the cigarettes in one row abutting the ends of the cigarattes in the other row, comprising a hopper having transversely offset portions formed to receive cigarettes from both rows simultaneously and to maintain the cigarettes emanating from lone row segregated and in longitudinal offset relation with the cigarettes emanating from the other row; a platform positioned below said hopper having transversely offset discharge openals 

